Display containers are known in the prior art. In particular, display containers known as “club trays” are commonly used in wholesale or other shopping clubs where product is presented at point-of-sale in its shipping container. Other types of display containers are known, such as “PDQ” and “counter displays” which are used for rack or counter placement, particularly in supermarkets, drug stores, and other mass merchants. The display containers are formed of paperboard and have one or two sides open to allow product removal therefrom. The common display container design, however, has limitations in strength. The lack of inherent strength not only limits the permissible weight to be supported by each display container, but, also, limits the stackable number of units.
In addition, typical prior art display containers are formed from single paperboard blanks at a vendor's facility prior to packing and shipping. To form a display container, the paperboard blank must be cut to size and shape of the desired container. Fold lines and openings are put into the paperboard blank and are known as scores, slots, slits, perfs, cuts, etc., to accomplish this. The scores, slots, slits, perfs, cuts, etc., that are added weaken the blank but this is necessary to allow the blank to be formed into the container. In many cases, the blank is also decorated in addition to having it die cut to shape and size. Both of these operations further stress the paperboard by weakening and crushing the paperboard fibers and fluting. With paperboard providing inherently limited strength and with the additional weakening through die cutting and decoration, to maximize its integrity as a container, the blank must now be assembled to its desired form. Assembly consists of breaking blank scores, perfs, cuts, etc. and to begin folding the blank to form the final shape of the container. The time and effort needed to attain the final shape determines the labor handling cost.